Local Church versus Para-church – Who is carrying out the Great Commission?

I asked a rather lengthy question to a group (2500+) of Restoration Movement and Independent Christian Church preachers and members (6700+).

Church vs Para-church Activity

I think we (Restoration Movement Churches) might have it backwards. We spend far too much time and money trying to get people to gather on Sunday for a few hours instead of getting them to scatter/serve Christ throughout the week.

Could it be that so called “para-churches” are actually doing the work of being the church and what we do on Sundays is an actual para-church activity?

Church vs Para-church

A whopping 79% of Restoration Movement pastors and preachers (2500+) and church members (6700+) I polled say we do!

Restoration Movement Churches Priorities Misplaced

Our priorities seem to be misplaced. We are spending more time and money and effort on the Sunday 3-4-5 hr experience than on the other 160+ hrs during the week that the building is available.

One respondent’s comment was enlightening – “I’ve been wrestling some lately if I want to leave full time ministry in a church because I might have better opportunity to do more ministry otherwise for this reason.”

If so many preachers think we have our priorities misplaced, why aren’t we doing something about it? Why aren’t we doing something different?

Youth Pastors Have Different Priorities

Interesting enough, I asked a group of young preachers (non-independent Christian Churches) the same question and they do NOT agree. Only 30% thought our priorities are misplaced and 70% think the church should continue to focus on Sundays.

Not surprisingly, many in this young group hoped for a balance. Yeah. millennials tend to be that way … “Can’t we find a way to get along?”

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you […]